Solid Ground
by csiphile
Summary: Post LTSB. G&S, R&R...thanks!


Title: Solid Ground  
  
Author: Stepf  
  
Disclaimers: I don't own em, and even if I did, I cant imagine my writing being as good as last nights ep.  
  
Rating: G  
  
Notes: Ok, I wrote this in literally like 30 minutes on my lunch break, so if it sucks, blame the ham and pineapple pizza. I was inspired. Its really, really short, something I thought I would never say about one of my fics! It's a post-LTSB/pre-ALM. Its NOT betaed, so all the stupid mistakes are mine, I hope they aren't really annoying for you.  
  
Also..no worries, Ch 20 of Fear should be up soon, just waiting for Miss Meg to finish up the beta. I just had to get this one out. Hope y'all don't mind.  
  
  
  
He walk approaches the garish lights and noise of the casino, silver case in hand. She is here already, the Tahoe she and Warrick have is parked off center in a spot. Warrick had obviously been driving, and the only person who could stand his imitation of Mario Andretti was Sara. Shaking his head he pushes up on the elevator button. Sara. He now has fifteen floors to figure out what to say to her. She had left his office door the previous night before getting her answer. Not that he really had one now anymore than then, he wasn't sure what to say to her, admit that his feeling for her are more than professional, or remain quiet and lose the only person that means anything to him. The only person who has broken through his self imposed wall, the one that keeps humanity at bay, they one that keeps him from getting hurt, from being exposed.  
  
Finally the elevator doors open and he enters, pressing fifteen, a heavy feeling settling in his stomach. Every step he makes, every floor number that passes on the digital display bring him closer to her. He has to face her eventually, otherwise he risks alienating her further. She had left the ball in his court, put their entire relationship into one sentence, wrapped in a nice neat bow for him to open when he's ready. But she had made a statement by leaving before he could answer her. Grissom may not be a genius with relationships, but any idiot would have understood her meaning. 'Do something before I am gone for good' it screamed at him. 'Do anything.'  
  
Grissom looks into the mirrored elevator doors and sees what he has become, someone so jaded, so withdrawn that when he tells Sara to get a life and she does just that, he is angry with her. God, he had never been so angry with her that night when she showed up two hours late, and only because the picture he had in his head is of her with Hank. He could barely speak to her, much less work the same case. His thoughts had been flying in a thousand directions, none of them good. 'You acted like a prick Grissom. Your lucky she spoke to you later' he thinks. How could he solve her confusion if he is confused himself. Yes, he wanted her to get a life, and yes she had. He had just assumed that life would at the very least not involve another man. That life would involve him, but not once had he said that to her, never acted on the feeling for her swirling around in him, making Gil Grissom act in the way he never wanted to toward her, like she meant nothing.  
  
Finally the doors open, revealing to him an empty hall that had been cleared by PD. Reading the plaque on the wall he turns left to the room, swallowing hard he sees the hotel room door open and can hear her laugh down the hall. 'Well at least she is in a good mood.'  
  
Walking in he sees Sara investigating the bed sheets while Warrick takes pictures. Taking a deep breath he gets the work issues over with.  
  
"What have we got?" he asks Warrick, avoiding her direct gaze, he can almost feel her staring at him.  
  
"Male DB, found hanging from the light fixture." Warrick points up and Grissom follows his finger to the body.  
  
"Interesting," he says, keeping his focus on the body.  
  
Warrick looks at Sara with a funny expression, she is just collecting the sheets, not even acknowledging Grissoms presence. 'Now THAT'S interesting.' Warrick thinks and makes some comment about photographing the hallway before leaving. He can feel the tension in the room, they are both wound tight and he has no idea why.  
  
"Anything on the sheets?" He finally asks and looks at her.  
  
"Nothing visible, I'll take a look at the lab later." Her voice is tense.  
  
"Sara look..I." He approaches her. "You have every right to be confused. I cant seem to."  
  
Finally she looks at him and smiles. "Gris, I understand, you are as confused as I am."  
  
"Yeah I am. But your not causing my confusion Sara. I'm doing it to myself. I'm making this harder than it needs to be." He waves his hands indicating themselves.  
  
"Yeah, you are. This doesn't have to be like..this." She says honestly.  
  
"No. It doesn't." He smiles at her and gets a grin in return. They are back on solid ground.  
  
Fin~ 


End file.
